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REBELLIOUS and AGGRESSIVE HARD ROCK INSTRUMENTALS in the wide range a la Godsmack, Disturbed, Stone Sour, etc. urgently needed by the Owner of a Music Production Library for use in film/TV/commercials. This production music veteran has signed dozens of TAXI writers to his previous company, and has had considerable success in creating some of the most successful music libraries in the industry. Think: chunky rhythm guitars, driving bass lines, and "in-your-face" drumming! Make sure that tracks submitted are strong and competitive, with a true Hard Rock approach. They said, and we quote, “All tracks submitted would need to be at least 2 minutes in length. No key changes. Must have composed endings - no fade-outs." This company offers a standard exclusive deal. You must own and control your song's copyright and master recording. Great performances are essential. Broadcast quality needed [excellent home recordings are OK].


The piece is Disturbed with a Sickness at http://www.taxi.com/mikebarresi. On the critique the "MUSIC" box was checked. I'm not sure why this was returned. I feel it came pretty close to sounding like Godsmack and Disturbed. The riffs are similar and sonic qualities are extremely close. Maybe my ears are biased towards my music. FRESH EARS, I NEED YOUR HELP!!!! Any comments to help clear this up for me would be great!

Thanks
MIKE

Very nice, Mike! I would have believed you if you would have posted this as a celebration that you got a forward, but since you didn't I'll look under the hood with you.

It is possible that your concept might invite more and longer arpeggiate passages a la Steve Vai. Much of your awesome playing stays focused in a safe predictable range rather than soaring into surprising new territory. An example of a spot when a couple more notes would have sold it might be at 00:26. I'm very fond of what you're doing, Mike, but I'm just saying the screener might be hoping for more since the song type seems to call for it. You know what Vai would do. Perhaps that's the bar you should strive for with this piece.

Now I'm going to push a little harder to find a weakness in this piece despite the fact that I really like it as is. This is hair splitting, so stay with me. Your melody could actually be a little bit more open and free. An example would be around 00:55 - 01:01. I totally get why you chose a phrase that descends and stays put: it fits the dark mood. But to my ear, you return to familiar notes that are so narrow and relaxed that they release too much tension rather than stimulate the imagination and taunt the listener into wanting more. I don't have a specific suggestion, but generally, I would have hoped to hear something slightly more challenging starting at this exact moment. This same slight tonal fatigue issue comes up again at 01:13 - 01:15 when the melody required the use of two identical consecutive notes. When you write two very entertaining lines that come together in a slight moment of weakness, the result can be that you create a disconnect in the emotional momentum that you need to demand the attention of you listener.

After having said too much, it could just come down to the fact that the screener has heard much of this approach before and is not easily impressed anymore, so forgive me if I'm off base. I'm just trying to help a guy out.

Thanks for sharing your AWESOMENESS!!!

I'm gonna take a stab at this. I have no expertise in the genre, so I can't speak to whether or not the music matches the alas. That said, I think you nailed the 'chunky', 'driving' and 'in your face' aspects of the listing. To these ears this track sounds like the real freakin' deal.

I suspect that there's so much great guitar driven hard rock getting submitted these days that the screeners have to look for reasons to return. And with that in mind I wonder if your composed ending isn't up to par with the rest of the track. It doesn't have that button 'we're done now' feel to me. Just a hunch, but something to consider.

If you get a minute could you chime in on my blues return on this forum. I had what I thought was a great track returned with the same music check box and could use some input. thx!

Hey Guys!!

Thanks for listening. It is so hard to tell sometimes what would have pushed this piece over the bar. I wonder if I had submitted it with out the leads would it have made it? I've come to the conclusion that it is a good piece and I'll shop it elsewhere!

Thanks
MIKE

It is possible that the lead guitar is too prominent. Remember in film/TV, music often has to be behind dialog or be faded up and down depending on dialog. Sometimes a screaming lead guitar can be too intrusive. When you lower the volume on a piece, you can dialog over rhythmic elements but as the volume gets lower if that lead guitar still dominates, it can be a problem.

It IS a good idea to keep a "no lead guitar" version. At times I've submitted tracks both with and without lead guitar and the screener has forwarded the one they preferred or both.

Good track, though! You will find lots of possible homes for it. And you can make mixes with the lead lower, no lead, etc...

Best,
Casey

Hey Mike,
I dunno? If I were the screener I feel I would have picked it. Maybe Casey is right that the guitar melody is too in-your-face to dialogue over. Maybe the screener had a bad day.
I will tell you that this piece not getting picked for the listing makes me feel a lot better about some the returns I've had that I've gone "huh?".
Good work, though dude.
PB
www.patandsherry.com
www.taxi.com/patandsherry

Hi Mike!

I loved your song and, in my opinion, it was very close to what the opportunity was asking for. However, I guess I know why they didn't chose it. I've got some experience in the Hard'N'Heavy genre since in the past I had a band called Evidence and we captured the attention of some big labels at the time, but there was a problem: The songs needed better structure with right chorus in the right places to work commercially.... Unfortunately some people in the band never understood that. You might ask, well what about bands like Dream Theater that don't respect any of that and have much success? Well yes, but they're in the progressive rock league where common song structure doesn't apply.

I've listened to your song and I think it doesn't need much more to work. It's all there.

From 00:00 'till 00:45 I see a great beginning and then a line for verses;

00:46 - 01:18 : I can listen to a great chorus in my head

01:19 - 01:26 : Good way to leave the chorus and entering the second part of the song;

01:27 - 01:35 : I would use and prolong this reef to be the line for verses on the second part of the song, since it's similar to the first part but different enough to fit harmoniously and be interesting. You could then repeat the chorus.;

After this 2nd chorus I would get into that 01:36 - 02:18, probably making it shorter a little bit depending on which opportunity you are applying for. You know that these days long solos aren't much appreciated by the music industry

I wish you all the best for the future.

Sergio Sabino
www.taxi.com/sabino
www.facebook.com/sabinospace

Hi Mike!

I forgot to "finish the song":

- After the solo should come the chorus again. Then you can finish the song repeating the chorus or come up with another part for the ending

Sabino
www.taxi.com/sabino
www.facebook.com/sabinospace

Hey Sabino,

Thanks for listening. I think I understand what you are saying about song structure, but I don't feel that this really applies to tracks used for film and TV. Cues differ from songs and I think don't need to follow typical song structure as closely as a formulaic hit songs should. This is what I have gathered based on reading this forum and other "writing for Film/TV" resources.

I listened to some your tracks online.. cool stuff!! You have a great voice!

MIKE